The smaller of the parabuthids, wadjet parabuthids only grow to the length of a human hand, and live far shorter lives than their ankh cousins. They might easily be mistaken for an ordinary desert scorpion except for the brilliant golden pattern on their back for which the species is named. They are purely carnivorous, surviving mostly on insects, small vertebrates, and occasionally other scorpions. Despite their voracious appetites, parabuthids are generally calm around humans and surprisingly intelligent for invertebrates. While most scorpions are known to glow under special lights, wadjet parabuthids actually glow slightly at night to attract moths and other night-flying insects. This makes them easy to spot at night, and avid magi hoping to find wadjet parabuthid eggs often search rocks at night looking for a telling glow.

Parabuthids are venerated inhabitants of the Etain Desert, though it is rare to come across one these days. The ancient civilizations of the desert raised scorpion hatchlings in the safety of special temples and milked their venom for use in life-giving potions. The toxin of ankh parabuthids was especially prized, given the name of "ichor ambrosia" in old inscriptions, and widely reputed to be a key ingredient in the fabled elixir of life. The venom of both species of parabuthid can be used in a variety of ways, and though the wadjet parabuthids are generally considered weaker than the ankh, they are still revered as symbols of protection and good luck.